Use Yoga To Get That Sixpack

3 Simple Yoga Exercises For Ripped Abs

Core abdominal training and power is perhaps the most
important aspect of physical fitness, and yoga is an
excellent science to help target and develop this region.
According to yoga, the abdominal area is governed by the
Solar Plexus Chakra, called the Manipura Chakra in Sanskrit,
and this chakra is responsible for not just providing the
body with the physical energy it needs, but is also
responsible for your willpower and strength of character.

Yoga abdominal exercises work on many dimensions of your
being. They not just tone and strengthen the stomach
muscles, but they also open and balance the Manipura Chakra
mentioned above. Thus, not only is your core strength and
power improved, but, also your willpower and strength of
character developed. In this article I will give three
excellent yoga exercises for developing this all important
center.

1. Single Yoga Leg Lifts:

Lie on your back with your hands underneath your buttocks
palms facing down. The hand position is to support your
lower back. If you feel pressure or discomfort in your lower
back, go ahead and roll more of your arms underneath you,
this will give even more lower back support.

Now lift your left leg up to ninety degrees in a slow,
smooth motion keeping it as straight at the knee as
possible. Inhale as you lift you lift up, then exhale and
bring the leg back down. Next repeat this exercise with the
right leg. Continue in this fashion, lifting alternate legs
to ninety degrees for one to three minutes.

Take a break in between if you need to. Remember never to
overdo anything when it comes to yoga. Slow and steady is
the golden rule.

2. Double Yoga Leg Lifts:

Once you complete your single leg lifts take a short break
and then try the same exercise but this time lift both legs
together is a smooth motion to ninety degrees and then back
down. Again try to keep the legs as straight as possible.
Keep the hands underneath the buttocks as above to support
the lower back.

3. Criss-Cross Legs:

You will find the above two exercise really target the
central abs, and this exercise will attack the obliques,
which are the stomach muscles that line the side of the
abdominal. For this exercise, again remain on your back with
the hands underneath your buttocks palms facing down, then
raise your legs twelve to eighteen inches above the floor
and keeping the toes pointed begin to rapidly criss-cross
them.

By criss-cross here, I mean that let the legs cross over
each other at the ankles, where fist the right leg crosses
over the top of the left, and then the left crosses over the
the top of the right. This action will really work the
stomach muscles and is excellent training for abdominal
strength and toning.

Summary:

So there you have three excellent exercises for toning and
strengthening your abdominal muscles and activating the
Solar Plexus Chakra. These exercises also provide the added
benefit of helping your digestive system and is an excellent
set for those who are just starting out their yoga practice.

Anmol Mehta is a modern Yoga & Meditation master. His
massive website offers the ultimate Guided Meditation
Techniques guide, a powerful Third Eye Meditation and free
Yoga Exercise Videos.

This article is available for reprint on your website and/or
newsletter, provided it is not changed and you include the
author's signature.

Article Directory: EzineArticles

Core abdominal training and power is perhaps the most
important aspect of physical fitness, and yoga is an
excellent science to help target and develop this region.
According to yoga, the abdominal area is governed by the
Solar Plexus Chakra, called the Manipura Chakra in Sanskrit,
and this chakra is responsible for not just providing the
body with the physical energy it needs, but is also
responsible for your willpower and strength of character.
Yoga abdominal exercises work on many dimensions of your
being.

Is It Fact or Myth?

10 Urban Food Myths

By Joe Wilkes

There have always been rumors spread about food. Remember the one about the Kentucky Fried rat or Mikey, the kid from the Life cereal commercials, who allegedly expired after washing down his Pop Rocks with a Coca-Cola? These, like so many, turned out to be apocryphal; but now, in the age of the Internet, it seems like there's always some story making the rounds about a grocery item that will poison you or a food that will miraculously cure what ails you. Here are some myths we were able to dismiss.

To read the full article: click here

Don't be Fooled by Fitness "Facts"

Steve Edwards is the fitness nutrition advisor for Beachbody.

8 Misleading Fitness "Facts"

By Steve Edwards

When it comes to our well-being, not much pricks up our ears like the word miracle. But when referring to health and fitness, the word miracle is generally synonymous with the word scam. That is unless finding yourself suddenly motivated to exercise and eat better is something you would consider a miracle. Other than that, miracles don't exist.

To read the full article: click here

Celebrity "X"

Now I know how Roselyn Sanchez keeps her amazing figure!



Without A Trace......of Fat!

Thanks to coach Judy Zavislak for finding another example of the Beachbody Revolution, this time featuring Roselyn Sanchez (Who knew the end of obesity would start... in Hollywood?)
Without a Trace's sultry sleuth says she had to kick her workout routine into high gear when she turned 30. "When it happened to me, it was like, what is going on?" says Roselyn Sanchez, 35. "My hips. My legs. My stomach used to be really flat, but now I have to be careful with what I eat." She keeps in shape with P90X, a 90-day workout plan that has 12 DVDs designed to target a different area of the body. "I swear by it," says Sanchez, who's been doing the program every morning for six months. "Every girl needs to give it a try. It will change your body!"
Courtesy of TV Guide (June 30-July 13 edition).

Review: Ab Ripper X

If you didn't get enough of Tony Horton in Power 90's Ab Ripper 100/200, then Ab Ripper X should be just what the doctor ordered. This routine is definitely more demanding than its predecessor, and you will definitely "feel the burn" when you are done.

The routine is made up of 11 exercises with 25 reps each, for a total of 275 reps. Varying levels of fitness are accommodated by providing multiple variations of each exercise. There are two men and one woman that are following along with Tony, and one of them always does a modified version of what Tony is doing. This is great for people with back problems and also for people who may be just starting out. They can start off with the modified version of one or more exercises with the goal being to graduate to the full version with time.

Tony scores another hit with Ab Ripper X, as he uses his sense of humor to distract you while he is torturing you. You may be cussing him out during the middle of Ab Ripper X, but you feel absolutely great about yourself when you cross the finish line.

For more info about Ab Ripper X: click on P90X below.

Review: Power 90 Ab Ripper 100/200

Tony Horton has developed a huge following due to smash successes like "Power 90", and "P90X". This article will review the ab programs that come with Power 90, which are called Ab Ripper 100 (beginner), and Ab Ripper 200 (advanced).

Ab Ripper 100 is a great beginner program that is simple, and not very long - but very effective at jump starting those abs into action. Simple means 10 exercises of 10 reps each. You will recognize some of the exercises, while others may be new to you. Tony targets upper, middle, and lower abs systematically for maximum effectiveness. There is very little rest time between exercises. Each exercise is modeled(many with modifications) and key points are explained. Depending on your level of fitness, you may not be able to complete all 10 reps of every exercise, but making that your goal should get you there rather quickly.

Ab Ripper 200 uses the same exercises from Ab Ripper 100, except now there are 20 reps per exercise (again, very simple). Doubling the reps to 20 might not seem like much, but even Traci Morrow, who appears on the P90X+ DVD, has mentioned to me that she still is challenged by Ab Ripper 200.

Overall, the ab programs that come with Power 90 are great for the beginner through advanced athlete. Whether you are just starting out and looking for something simple, or you are a seasoned workout buff looking for more of a challenge and/or a change of pace - the Ab Ripper programs will do the trick.

For more info on Power 90: click the Power 90 picture below.





Coming soon: Ab Ripper X, from P90X

The Only Way You Will Ever See Your Abs

So many people loose their common sense when it comes to fitness. Don Levy points out some obvious, but often overlooked tips to getting great abs.


First Step To 6-Pack Abs-Lose Your Belly Fat

by Don Levy

Yes! You can have 6-pack abs, but if you're like a lot of people who decide they want to have rock hard abs, those abs are covered by a layer of fat. Exercises like crunches, situps or using an ab machine will give the abs you're looking for, but only after you get rid of the belly fat. Those exercises are not going to help you lose the fat. The only way you will lose that fat is to eat fewer calories than you burn every day.

click here to read the entire article

Which Program Should I Use?

These days, it seems like a new ab program or gadget is coming out every day! With all of these programs out there to choose from - how in the world will you know which one to pick? Well, you can usually filter out many of these gimmick gadgets and programs using plain old common sense. For instance, if hooking up electrodes to your muscles really helped them to grow - wouldn't anyone trying to add muscle, hook up ALL of their muscles to electrodes instead of working out?

Over my next several articles, I will be including a review on several of the programs that I have used and enjoyed. I have discovered that finding a program that is effective is most of the battle. The other part of it is to find one that you enjoy doing. If you have a program that has been shown to work for others, but you HATE doing it - it won't do you much good.

Stay Tuned.

Hip Hop Abs

Wow...if you haven't tried one of Shawn T's ab programs, you are missing out! The best part about Hip Hop Abs, Rockin Body, or Shawn T's Dance Party - is that you forget that you are working your abs, because you are having so much fun dancing. We all know - the more you like a certain program, the more likely you are to keep up with it.....and isn't that the challenge?

If you would like to learn more about Shawn T's ab programs:
click on the Hip Hop Abs picture below.

Here is an interesting article that sheds a slightly different light on "seeing" those great abs that everybody wants.

Core and Abdominal Training - Great Abs!

by Jeremy Likness

Abdominal training is very misunderstood. Many people place a lot of emphasis on abs without understanding how the abs function or why they are even training in a certain way. Let’s explore the correct way to train abs for the results that you want!

click here to read the full article